Apparatus for forcing fluids from wells.



G HQLLJTBAY. PARATUS FOR FO'BJGING PLUDs APPLICATION FILED HAYIL, 1910.

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n 'rn Yra APPARATUS FOR FORCING FLUIDS FROM WELLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten oet. a, aero.

Application filed 'May 14, 191i). Serial No. 561,439.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HOLLI- DAY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forForcing Fluids from Wells, of which the `following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of apparatus for forcing fluidsfrom wells andv has particular relation to means for discharging oilfrom an oil well.

.The objects of my invention are to provide'an improved construction ofapparatus of this character whereby loil or other fluid contained in awell may be readily driven outward therefrom; to so construct myimproved'apparatus as to obviate the necessity of lifting the entirevolume of oil contained in the outlet pipe of the well ateach'discharging operation and to otherwise provide a simpleand reliablemechanism whereby portions of-the oil contained in the well outlet pipemay be successively discharged. Theseobjects I accomplish in the mannerillustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich-- l Figure 1 is acentral vertical section of an oil well showing in elevation my improveddischarging mechanism, and, Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectionthrough portions of one of the air supply pipes and the oil dischargingpipe.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents an oil well and 2 a suitable metallic casing which isinserted therein in the usual manner. Within the oil well, preferably atone side lof the center thereof, I provide a vertical oil discharge pipe3, the upper portion of which extends through the cap plate 4c of thecasing 2 from which said discharge pipe may leadvto a tank or other oilreceptacle. The pipe 3 is composed of va suitable number of lsections3a, the ends of these sections, which are otherwise separated one fromthe other, being connected by sleeves or pipe coupling. members 5, eachof which is formed on onev side with a central laterally extending neck5a.

`Immediately beneath the lower end o each ofthe pipe sections 3a withthe exception ofthe lowest section, the T-couplin'g 5 formed as abovedescribed, is provided with acentral transverse rod upon which isnormally supported the lower'end of'a plunger 7 lwhich plunger fitsslidably in the next higher pipe section 3a. Formed centrally througheach of the plungers is acomparatively small vertical opening or passageS, the upper end of which is normally closed by a check valve 9, thelatter haring an up wardly extending stem which passes loosely through agui'deopening in an ilpuard extension 7a of the'plunger. IVithin theupper end portion of each of the pipe sections 3 is fitted a check valvecasing 10, the upper side of the central opening therein, being normallyclosed by 'acheck valve 11, which is adapted to be raised 0E its seat bypressure from below.

Connected with the neck of each of the T-couplings is a short outwardlyextending pipe member 12 within which is secured a hollow valve casing13 within .the central bore of which is contained a spring actuatedvalve .14, theY latter being normally closed against a seat formedwithin the central passage of the casing 13. `Through the medium of asuitable coupling or pipe connection 15, the outer end of each of thepipe sections 12 is connected with the lower end of a vertical air pipe16, said air pipes extending downward into the well through'the capplate I and there being one of said air pipes for each of the couplings5. The upper ends of the air pipes 16 above the well, are 'connectedthrough the medium of horizontal pipes 16y with a. manifold or aircontaining head 17, said pipes 16HL each having a suitable cut-oil valve16". The head o'r manifold 17 has leading thereto an air supply pipe 18,which connects with a compressed air tank 19, the latter receiving itscharge of con'ipressed air from a suitable pump or compressing engine20. i

The air pipe valves 16b being closed, it will be understood that oilfrom the bottom of the well will rise inthe pipe 3, the natural pressureofthe oilA raising the valves 11 and 9 and permitting the ,oil to movefreely upward in the pipe. It being desired to force the oil containedin the pipe 8 upward 'and outward to a receiving tank orv other `receptacle, the operationis as follows: The

opening of the valve 1Gb of the upper pipe arm 16a results in adischarge of compressed air through the corresponding pipe 16 downwardto the lirst or higher joint 'of thepipe sections 3e; The air thusdischarged through said pipe section, operates to yopen the valve 14,thus permitting the entrance of the compressedair into the space betweenthe plunger 7 and the next higher valve l0, thereby forcing said plungerupward in its pipe section. Owing to the weight of the oil above theplunger and the fact that the opening 8 of the plunger is comparativelysmall, the

. l vplunger valve 9 will be retained in a closed position and the oilabove the plunger will' thus be forced upward and outward through thedischarge pipe. lt is obvious-that when the oil has thus been dischargedfrom the upper section of the discharge pipe, thevpreviously openedvalve 1Gb may be closed and the next lower valve 16b opened, resultingin the oil in the next lower pipe section 3a being. forced upwardthrough the valve casing 10 and through theV opening 8 of the nexthigher plunger. It will readily be understood that if the force of theoil is sufficientto raise the next higher plunger, such operation willnot interfere with the passage of the oil through the plunger opening 8which,

as is obvious will result in the raising of the valve 9. Y

A s indicated at 22 l may if desired employ an air outlet pipe havingl asuitable controlling valve 23 and having its lower end entering one ofthe main pipe sections 3a belowthe second' lowest coupling 5 valvecasing l0. This pipe may be employed if needed to Vreliev'etlie ipesections above said nextlower valve ll fiom any undesirable -V pressureof air which may' exist therein after theair has served the purpose offorcing the oil outward through the discharge pipe.

llromAthe-censtruction and operation described, it will readily heunderstood that the operation of suceessivelv clearing the' of theinvention, butv while the elements shown and described are well adapted.5to serve the urposes for which they are in# tended, it is to beunderstood that the invention isnot limited to the precise constructionset, forth, but includes within its 'purview such changes as maybe madewithin the scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim, is: v

1 '.v In an apparatus for forcing liuid from wells, the combination witha well, a casing therein, a discharge pipe extending into said well, aplurality of plungers in said discharge pipe having a limitedl downwardmovement, each of said plungers having a vertical valve controlledpassage, a valveV and valve casing below the plungers, and a pluralityof airpipes leading into said discharge pipe between the discharge pipevalve and the plunger, said airl pipes having valve controlledconnections with the' compresse air'supply. 2. In an apparatus of thecharacter set forth, the combination with a Well, a fixed casing in saidwell, a discharge ipe leading out of said well, a plurality of p ungerssupported within said discharge pipe and hav'- ing'a limited downwardmovement, each of said plungers having a central valve controlledopening therethrough, a valve in said discharge pipe below each of saidplungers and adapted to be opened by upward pressure from below, an airpipe connected with said discharge pipe between each pair of saidplungers ann discharge pipe valves, a nor-f mally spring closed valve inthe connectionbetween each of said air pipes and discharge pipe, saidair pipes having valve controlled connections with a common head orinaniy' man' 'old havin@ a connection with fold, said ir .g a compressedair supply.

ln testimony whereof l ax my, signature in presence of two witnesses.

WLLEAM C. HGLLlDAY.

Witnesses:

A.. L. Peintre,

